Courts / Dublin / Report
Former librarian spared jail for stealing rare books
Summary
John Nulty, a 37‑year‑old former librarian, was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to eight counts of theft from the National Library of Ireland, covering 216 charges. He had taken hundreds of rare books, worth about €200,000, between 2004 and 2013, and also stole from the Allen Library while employed there. Gardaí discovered an "Aladdin's cave" of books in his Dublin home in 2013. The judge noted that most books were recovered intact, with a loss of around €5,000, and that Nulty's compulsive hoarding and lack of profit from sales justified a suspended term of two and a half years, conditional on good behaviour. The case highlighted Nulty's obsession with the books, his attempts to sell them, and his remorse for breaching the trust of his employers. The sentence was suspended, with no immediate custodial term imposed.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former librarian spared jail for stealing rare books. Charges or matters: eight sample counts of theft from a total of 216 charges. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 5, 2004 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 24, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2003 Incident
- July 2004 Incident
- 2016-07-27 Publication
Why: Some of the books were first editions and some were signed while others were valuable because of their historical and national interest. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: eight sample counts of theft from a total of 216 charges (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Defendant
Charges: eight sample counts of theft from a total of 216 charges (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: National Library of Ireland has received a suspended sentence.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- North Richmond Street
Topics
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